Was checking out ESPN when I saw this feature on Mendota HS and their star RB Edgar Segura. He plays in a less competitive division but man is he the definition of heart and soul of his team/community. The last guy Cal athletics gave a shot to that fit this profile willed himself to become Pac 12 player of the year in basketball and is playing in the NBA.

We lack leaders on this team and it seems to me that even if this kid doesn't become a difference maker on Saturdays, he would definitely come into the locker room and be an incredibly positive influence. We've given preferred walk on positions to players with much less impressive laurels. He has a preffered walk-on offer from Fresno State, who is a better football team than us at the moment.

(ESPN Preview)

http://www.8bitsports.net/espn-piece-about-mendota-high-school-football/ (Whole feature)

(Edgar's highlight tape)

Unfortunately, at the end of the ESPN doc, they noted that he's trying to fix his grades to become eligible. I would take a chance on him because he has that "junkyard dog" fight in him, but he will undoubtedly need a lot of support.

Great stuff. Thanks for posting.

teejr;842291811 said:

---

Unfortunately, at the end of the ESPN doc, they noted that he's trying to fix his grades to become eligible. I would take a chance on him because he has that "junkyard dog" fight in him, but he will undoubtedly need a lot of support.

---

I very much like the preferred walk-ons we got who have NO academic issues that have been reported ... actually, quite the contrary: good students who want to walk-on at Cal, [U]student[/U]-athletes.

I would SO much rather have a young man like this than a whole bunch of the 4 star egotists that get all the pub and all the attention. Give me 11 young men like this, and they might not win all the games, but they sure do have the potential to make us proud.

The kid has fire in his belly and has overcome more than most of us can imagine. He has to apply that drive to the books and realize his education is just as important as his football dream. Would definitely offer preferred walk on status and give him access to all the academic support he needs to prove himself worthy of the opportunity. Kids like this could improve our team even if just through special teams. Cal has a mandate to serve these communities. Good post

Nice post. Watched all the video. Made this bear :cry:

Not only Segura, but "Beto" and all that downfield blocking.

elwitty;842291858 said:

---

the kid has fire in his belly and has overcome more than most of us can imagine. He has to apply that drive to the books and realize his education is just as important as his football dream. Would definitely offer preferred walk on status and give him access to all the academic support he needs to prove himself worthy of the opportunity. Kids like this could improve our team even if just through special teams. Cal has a mandate to serve these communities. Good post

---

+1,000,000

Great story. But I don't think he looks like a D-1 player. Maybe a place like Portland State or UC Davis?

Coach Gould would love to have a guy like that!

Elwitty;842291858 said:

---

The kid has fire in his belly and has overcome more than most of us can imagine. He has to apply that drive to the books and realize his education is just as important as his football dream. Would definitely offer preferred walk on status and give him access to all the academic support he needs to prove himself worthy of the opportunity. Kids like this could improve our team even if just through special teams. Cal has a mandate to serve these communities. Good post

---

This kid has nothing! How is he going to pay for school if he doesn't have a scholarship? The reality is that he needs to go to a JC, get his AA, then move to a four year school.

lol at preferred walk on status.

the only way he's going to college is a full-ride scholarship.

There's a scholarship fund in his name. The kid will play D1 college ball.

http://www.gofundme.com/6xhw2k

TomBear;842291845 said:

---

I would SO much rather have a young man like this than a whole bunch of the 4 star egotists that get all the pub and all the attention. Give me 11 young men like this, and they might not win all the games, but they sure do have the potential to make us proud.

---

That's a bit of a generalization. Let's not get carried away about fielding a team of Walk ons over talented players

id say the majority of our 4 star recruits arent egotists and are generally good kids. just happen to be more talented football players than this guy. guy has heart, ill give him that, but theres a reason why hes only a PWO at fresno st.

gobears725;842292018 said:

---

id say the majority of our 4 star recruits arent egotists and are generally good kids. just happen to be more talented football players than this guy. guy has heart, ill give him that, but theres a reason why hes only a PWO at fresno st.

---

Because he plays in a weak league?

SoCalBear323;842292021 said:

---

Because he plays in a weak league?

---

from what i see, hes not a college running back. hes not fast enough to be a tailback and hes not big enough to be a fullback. hes a good high school player. not someone that id offer a scholarship to if i were the coaches and they didnt. he has grade issues too supposedly. hes not big enough to play linebacker, hes not fast enough to play safety again.

im not sure i get the overgeneralizations of all 4 star players are egotists and all PWO's are charlie hustle. its not just our coaches that have made the evaluation and said no, its all the coaches. maybe a few could make a mistake but odds are, not all.

its not like the days before the internet, camps and recruiting websites. coaches know who all these players are. very rarely would you have a kid with this kid's accomplishments that the coaches havent heard of.

gobears725;842292027 said:

---

from what i see, hes not a college running back. hes not fast enough to be a tailback and hes not big enough to be a fullback. hes a good high school player. not someone that id offer a scholarship to if i were the coaches and they didnt. he has grade issues too supposedly. hes not big enough to play linebacker, hes not fast enough to play safety again.

im not sure i get the overgeneralizations of all 4 star players are egotists and all PWO's are charlie hustle. its not just our coaches that have made the evaluation and said no, its all the coaches. maybe a few could make a mistake but odds are, not all.

its not like the days before the internet, camps and recruiting websites. coaches know who all these players are. very rarely would you have a kid with this kid's accomplishments that the coaches havent heard of.

---

I'm sure this player would be happy to be on the scout team and contribute to the team in any way. Like I said in the original post, even if he doesn't become a contributor on game day, this is the type of leader whose influence is much more far reaching.

SoCalBear323;842292039 said:

---

I'm sure this player would be happy to be on the scout team and contribute to the team in any way. Like I said in the original post, even if he doesn't become a contributor on game day, this is the type of leader whose influence is much more far reaching.

---

perhaps, but hes still not worth a scholarship. I wouldnt have minded that our coaches picked him up as PWO, but the grades issues probably scare them away. as far as leadership is concerned, he'd probably make a good coach one day

talentwise like i said hes not good enough, id say hes similar to the highlights i watched of fabiano hale.

gobears725;842292051 said:

---

perhaps, but hes still not worth a scholarship. I wouldnt have minded that our coaches picked him up as PWO, but the grades issues probably scare them away. as far as leadership is concerned, he'd probably make a good coach one day

talentwise like i said hes not good enough, id say hes similar to the highlights i watched of fabiano hale.

---

Nobody is saying to give him a scholly. Regarding the grades, his drive coupled with the academic support at Cal leaves me no doubt that he would be able to hang academically.

Jorge Gutierez was only a few years removed from immigrating from Mexico when he started Cal and he graduated with a 3.17. If given a walk on spot at Cal I'm sure top level donors would cover the costs of him attending. Apparently Keyshawn Johnson called up his coach the day after the feature ran and is hooking them up with new training equipment. People would come together and get it done for this kid.

gobears725;842292027 said:

---

from what i see, hes not a college running back. hes not fast enough to be a tailback and hes not big enough to be a fullback. hes a good high school player. not someone that id offer a scholarship to if i were the coaches and they didnt. he has grade issues too supposedly. hes not big enough to play linebacker, hes not fast enough to play safety again.

im not sure i get the overgeneralizations of all 4 star players are egotists and all PWO's are charlie hustle. its not just our coaches that have made the evaluation and said no, its all the coaches. maybe a few could make a mistake but odds are, not all.

its not like the days before the internet, camps and recruiting websites. coaches know who all these players are. very rarely would you have a kid with this kid's accomplishments that the coaches havent heard of.

---

Joe Igber 5'7", 180 4.6 40 Hawaii state record holder, most TDs ever.

Edgar Segura 5'8" 185 4.6 40 California state record holder, most TDs ever.

So while I generally agree that Segura will likely end up playing JC or Div.2, I would not completely rule out the possibility that Segura's productivity is indicative of being a pretty good football player, maybe good enough to be a D1 [U]back-up[/U] (as most of our RBs are).

Honest question. How often do walk ons who don't play (Rudy?) become leaders on the team? I do recall reading stories about coaches awarding schollies to walk ons which caused much celebration by their teammates.

SoCalBear323;842292061 said:

---

Nobody is saying to give him a scholly. Regarding the grades, his drive coupled with the academic support at Cal leaves me no doubt that he would be able to hang academically.

Jorge Gutierez was only a few years removed from immigrating from Mexico when he started Cal and he graduated with a 3.17. If given a walk on spot at Cal I'm sure top level donors would cover the costs of him attending. Apparently Keyshawn Johnson called up his coach the day after the feature ran and is hooking them up with new training equipment. People would come together and get it done for this kid.

---

The school/boosters cannot set up a special scholarship for him (they can, but it would just count as one of our allowed football scholarships). However, there is existing need-based scholarship money available that he would be eligible for that could pretty much cover his expenses (probably better than walking on at Fresno State--unless he is living at home).

calumnus;842292066 said:

---

Joe Igber 5'7", 180 4.6 40 Hawaii state record holder, most TDs ever.

Edgar Segura 5'8" 185 4.6 40 California state record holder, most TDs ever.

So while I generally agree that Segura will likely end up playing JC or Div.2, I would not completely rule out the possibility that Segura's productivity is indicative of being a pretty good football player, maybe good enough to be a D1 [U]back-up[/U] (as most of our RBs are).

---

ok i agree, i shouldnt completely rule him out as not having the ability to play as you almost never know when a kid could surprise. ill say that he doesnt have the tools to earn a scholarship from us. hope the kid keeps his head up and keeps working hard.

I don't think PWO count towards our APR - do they? If the kid can afford the in-state tuition, why not take a chance??

SoCalBear323;842292039 said:

---

I'm sure this player would be happy to be on the scout team and contribute to the team in any way. Like I said in the original post, even if he doesn't become a contributor on game day, this is the type of leader whose influence is much more far reaching.

---

Him over scores of kids who HAVE earned it on the field and in class?

GoBears89;842292088 said:

---

I don't think PWO count towards our APR - do they? If the kid can afford the in-state tuition, why not take a chance??

---

to me a PWO at Cal should be given the opportunity.

1. Hes a proven high school player that has played beyond his talent level.
to me it shows that his success is likely based on the fact that he has outworked and outsmarted his peers and will have a good influence on the team

2. Gets good grades.
Maybe APR isnt counted against PWO's but hes still going to be hanging out with teammates, be their friends, and will influence his teammates behavior. You want a PWO to have a good influence on his teammates in this department.

3. Is humble and can take punishment.
You need a guy that can understand that he may never play a down and that no matter how much work he puts in, that he is still unlikely to play or even suit up. Hes got to be able to take punishment because hes going to get hit, a lot, by kids bigger and stronger and more athletic.

right now it seems like this kid probably meets 1 & 3 and we're unsure about 2. if he were to raise his grades or go to a JC and do well at a JC, then maybe it should be something that is considered. perhaps even, he will improve his football game also and become a player that is worthy of scholarship

Rushinbear;842292205 said:

---

Him over scores of kids who HAVE earned it on the field and in class?

---

What would your grades have been in HS if you had to wake up at 4AM to pick cantaloupes?

SoCalBear323;842292370 said:

---

What would your grades have been in HS if you had to wake up at 4AM to pick cantaloupes?

---

i think my question would be, can he read and write adequately that with only a little help, he can do decently well in his classes? we dont have scholarship money invested in our PWO's. It would make complete logical sense that we also dont invest the same academic resources into PWO's as scholarship players such as tutors, etc to keep them eligible.

I am certainly not advocating a team of walk ons at all. Nor am I saying all four+ Star players are egotists etc. (I deliberately worded my post with the wording I used hoping that would be self evident). My point is that to me, as an old fashioned purist, wishing for college sports to have the honor and dignity it seems to have lost, I would prefer to see more young men who truly are hard workers, are humble, and put self second to team represent the team I care about and root for. There are plenty of four+ star players who are like that. But there are also way too many "stars" who are driven by ego, fame and selfishness. I would rather see guys like this get the opportunity to fulfill their dreams as opposed to the "me" guys. Sorry, I didn't express my thought very well.

TomBear;842292440 said:

---

I am certainly not advocating a team of walk ons at all. Nor am I saying all four+ Star players are egotists etc. (I deliberately worded my post with the wording I used hoping that would be self evident). My point is that to me, as an old fashioned purist, wishing for college sports to have the honor and dignity it seems to have lost, I would prefer to see more young men who truly are hard workers, are humble, and put self second to team represent the team I care about and root for. There are plenty of four+ star players who are like that. But there are also way too many "stars" who are driven by ego, fame and selfishness. I would rather see guys like this get the opportunity to fulfill their dreams as opposed to the "me" guys. So I stand by my statement.

---

i just think that you let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch in your mind. There are plenty of guys that are highly rated, carry themselves with dignity, get good grades and have a good head on their shoulders. Treggs, Goff and Avery are the first that come to mind. Im just saying dont let the few spoil the bunch. We have a lot of highly talented, high character guys as well, lets not forget about them and focus on the bad apples

gobears725;842292442 said:

---

i just think that you let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch in your mind. There are plenty of guys that are highly rated, carry themselves with dignity, get good grades and have a good head on their shoulders. Treggs, Goff and Avery are the first that come to mind. Im just saying dont let the few spoil the bunch. We have a lot of highly talented, high character guys as well, lets not forget about them and focus on the bad apples

---

Segura seems like a good kid but I'm not sure why there's so much pushing for him when within a circular area defined by the radius from Berkeley to his town, there are probably hundreds of equally hard-working, hard-nosed players with the same talent and desire. Fresno State is a lot closer and would be a lot less expensive for him. His family could get to see him play if he works hard enough to get time on the field.

John Porchivina is one example of a kid that Cal did get who is hard-working and hard-nosed. Not highly rated (for whatever that means) but Blue has been in his blood for a long time AND he has the grades and academic discipline to succeed in the classroom. Let's appreciate the guys we did get on LOI day.

:gobears: